Chasing Augustus

by Kimberly Newton Fusco

A sweetly satisfying novel about a girl and her lost dog, perfect for fans of Jennifer E. Holm and Kirby Larson.

Rosie's led a charmed life with her loving dad, who runs the town donut shop. It's true her mother abandoned them when Rosie was just a baby, but her dad's all she's ever needed. But now that her father's had a stroke, Rosie lives with her tough-as-nails grandfather. And her beloved dog, Gloaty Gus, has just gone missing.

Rosie's determined to find him. With the help of a new friend and her own determination, she'll follow the trail anywhere . . . no matter where it leads. If she doesn't drive the whole world crazy in the meantime.

Kimberly Newton Fusco's tender story brings to life a feisty, unsinkable, unstoppable, unforgettable girl who knows she's a fighter . . . if she can only figure out who's already on her side.

Praise for Kimberly Newton Fusco's Beholding Bee:

"Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Jennifer Holm, and Polly Horvath will find this an enjoyable and engrossing read." --School Library Journal

"[A] really terrific, hopeful story. . . . This could be my favorite middle-grade novel of [the year]." --The Christian Science Monitor

"A modern twist on fairy godmothers [with] strong, supportive women who don't need to provide a Prince Charming to make dreams come true." --The Horn Book

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Family, Dogs, Fiction, Childrens

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 19, 2017

About the author

Kimberly Newton Fusco, recipient of the American Library Association's Schneider Family Book Award, adores her young readers and is always excited to meet them!

Her 4 previous novels, TENDING TO GRACE, THE WONDER OF CHARLIE ANNE, BEHOLDING BEE, and CHASING AUGUSTUS were released to starred reviews and many accolades, including the Parents' Choice Silver Medal, the ALA Best Book for Young Adults, the NYPL Book for the Teen Age, the IRA Notable Book list, and Bank Street College's Best Books of the Year list. Her books were twice named RI Book of the Year by The Alliance for the Study and Teaching of Adolescent Literature at Rhode Island College - ASTAL, and she was a finalist for the Julia Ward Howe Young Readers Award. She has been a Junior Library Guild selection and her books have been placed on numerous state master award lists. She is published by Knopf Books for Young Readers and is represented by Elizabeth Harding, vice president, Curtis Brown, Ltd. www.curtisbrown.com

Kim provides keynote addresses, offers writing workshops, and speaks at literary festivals, schools and libraries across the US, and has been a One Book, One Community selection. She was an award-winning education writer for many years before becoming a novelist, and schools are a second home to her. She is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in NYC, and lives with her family in Rhode Island, the Ocean State. Visit her at www.kimberlynewtonfusco.com.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started a few pages the other day but when I sat down tonight and really got into the book, I couldn’t put down. Loved Rosie, her dog, her grandfather, and her two sidekicks. What a great and emotional story. Such strong writing!!!

[Kathie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read in a long time! (Note I didn't qualify this as one of the best "Kids" or "Children's" books!) For fans of Because of Winn Dixie and The Hard Pan Trilogy (Higher Power of Lucky), this book has the similar feel of a quirky cast of characters living a hard-scrabble life in a gritty podunk town. Quite literally a gritty town in this book: it is a sand quarry town, and "if you leave your windows open at breakfast, you'll be able to write your name in the grit on your kitchen table by dinner." Ten year old Rosie narrates: her mom took off for her career and another man when Rosie was a baby. She was raised by her loving dad until he suffered a near-fatal stroke a year ago. Mom reappeared briefly, not to take Rosie and raise her, but to sell the house, deposit Rosie with her cantankerous paternal grandfather Frank, and to give away Rosie's beloved dog Augustus without telling her. Rosie is quite justifiably angry, pretty much all the time, and in many ways is not what would appear to be a sympathetic character, but somehow the author makes her steal your heart. Grandpa Frank is a retired Marine who's as tough as an old boot and he and Rosie knock heads constantly. The primary plot device that moves the story forward is Rosie's obsessive search for her beloved dog, Augustus, aka "Gloaty Gus," but there is a rich tapestry of other believable characters in her orbit, each with fascinating and frequently heartbreaking backstories. The author writes lyrically and makes liberal use of physical metaphors to telegraph emotion: hornets buzz when Rosie is enraged and she feels many things in her toes. Aside from the discussions you can have with readers about this wonderful story filled with moral dilemmas and life lessons, you could also talk about the imagery and other writing devices the author uses. I laughed hard and cried several times throughout the reading of this wonderful book. Highly recommended for middle grade through middle school readers.

[Kateryna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rosie is a quirky 11-year-old girl who spends all her days on her bike looking for her dog. Her father had a stroke and her mom gave her dog away and now she lives with her grandfather. It was hard to get through the book. The story was boring and rather slow moving. There were too many unpleasant characters. Rosie was so hard-headed and ill-tempered and just plain mean to everyone in the book. I was mostly interested in the book because of the dog, but even he didn’t make this read any better.

[Angelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up because of the dog on the cover. It’s a children’s book, but deals with some weighty topics in such a sensitive, yet strong way. It’s sad at times, sweet at times, funny at times, and ends well!

[August Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me hooked by the first chapter! Read it in 3 days! (Which is quick for me) this book had me almost in tears lol

[Evan Ha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who lost his dog and is trying to find it back and throughout the story the girl who's name is Rosie faces internal and external struggles. I had many favorite part, but this one part just stood out to me. Spoiler Alert: Rosie and his friend Phillipe, found out that Swanson has Rosie's dog, so Rosie and Phillipe work together to try to find her dog, but then Swanson pulls up to the barn that Rosie and Phillipe are and she heard some noises, so she investigates the place. I love this part because it truly shows the pressure and the intensity that Rosi and Phillipe were in. This book taught me that if you persevere than anything is achievable. It also taught that your friends are always with you no matter what.

[Storm Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once and a while it’s nice to read a children’s book.

Chasing Augustus is familiar to me as someone who loves their dogs more than others understand.

[Kimberly Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Gloaty Gus” was a really annoying nickname for her dog, and it was overused. It was all I heard. Dogs don’t gloat. Plenty of other alliteration options.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I love the passion showed for the dog.

[Jayden]

In the book Chasing Augustus a girl who is now living with her grandfather because her mother abandoned her and her father had a stroke. Is on a mission to find her dog that has gone missing. Even through her everyone and everything trying to stop her. Her grandfather who owns a doughnut shop tries to make her work there to keep her out of trouble. And even talks to her school about her grades because ever since her dad had a stroke and her dog went missing she stopped trying and started to fail school.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all let me say that this is my #1 book for upper elementary for 2017. In all honesty it deserves an award. Rosie is the perfect protagonist. She is stubborn, independent, feisty, and rough around the edges, but you can't help rooting for her. With a narcissistic mom who prefers to be a lawyer, a kindhearted, loving father who has just had a stroke, and a grandfather who doesn't want to raise another kid, Rosie endures. She's a fighter. When her mom comes back to town to settle things after her dad's stroke, she just makes everything worse. She gives away the one bright spot in Rosie's life. Her dog. Being a fighter, Rosie is determined to get her dog back. On her dad's hand-me-down bike she races around town every day looking. When she finally gets a tip that "crazy lady" Swanson may have her dog, she is fearless. She schemes and plans a way to get her dog back. When one plan fails, she comes up with a new one. Nothing will stop her, especially stories about a crazy lady who shoots squirrels in her barn.

The cast of characters is superb. From her militaristic, cantankerous grandfather, to the shy, Monopoly-loving foster boy next door, and all the characters in between, Fusco has worked magic. These characters come alive. The author airs their dirty laundry in full view, but does it in such a way that you can't help but feel empathy. You will come away feeling like you want to meet these characters. They are described so perfectly that you will think they must really exist somewhere, that maybe this book is really a memoir.

There is so much to learn from this book. First of all, every kid needs a dog. There's a reason they are man's best friend. After you read this book, go get your kid a dog. Secondly, don't think you know what's really in a person's heart. Both Rosie's grandfather and the town recluse are not who they appear on the surface. They are both storing a mega load of love that is difficult to see until you really get to know them. Rosie learns all of this by the end of the book. A true gem and a must for every school library.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and feisty "unsinkable" young girl, left by her mum, a dog she loves more than anything else... sounds familiar? A popular theme in kidlit novels, I agree. Yet, this story is unique in its very own way; the cast of characters, each and everyone so special, so real. Rosie touched my heart right from the start; she is such a fighter. Her determination to find her dog, to find happiness again while being stuck in a difficult situation, is heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time. There is so much hope in this story that eventually all will be alright, that it is worth fighting for those we love and for what is important to us in life. I have no doubt, this will become a popular title in our Primary School library.

[Carol Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What 10 to 14-year-old doesn't enjoy a good dog book? If your son, daughter, grandchild, or student fits into that category, then Chasing Augustus by Kimberly Newton Fusco, is a book that you want to win for them.

Rosie's got it tough. Her mother left her as a child to make a better life for herself in California. Her father has a stroke and is hospitalized. That leaves her paternal grandfather, Harry, in charge of raising her--something he is ill-equipped to do. On top of that, when her mother comes home temporarily, she gives away "Gloaty Gus"-- Rosie's "lug of a dog."

From the first chapter, the reader is rooting for this spunky protagonist who feels as if she is "half the girl she used to be" without her furry, stubborn friend. As the title intimates, the book is mostly about Rosie trying to find Augustus and the various obstacles she has to overcome in the process. Readers see the sandpits which cover the town with grit whenever the wind blows--and which makes riding a bicycle (when she goes looking for her dog) include wearing swim goggles. Readers feel her apathy in school and cringe when she makes bad choices. And of course, they resonate with her longing to be reunited with her dog.

Although this is a book about determination and not losing hope, it is truly about making friends in unexpected places. Readers meet Rosie's next-door neighbor, Phillipe, a foster kid who won't shrug off his huge overcoat and who is obsessed with Monopoly; Cynthia, a girl who gets on Rosie's nerves because she asks too many questions; Swanson, a mute woman who the town kids mock and fear but who provides surprising answers to Rosie's questions; and even her grandfather Harry, who is an ornery sardine-and-cracker-eating guy who makes Rosie get tutoring over the summer for her poor English grade; and Mr. Peterson her tutor who she despises at first, but who she learns to appreciate.

Readers will care about Rosie, but they will also see how her behavior is not above reproach. She puts her desire to find Augustus above everything else; not caring about how her Grandfather will worry when she leaves home in a storm or how Phillipe feels when she pushes him into helping her. I think if the book is read in the classroom, I would recommend pointing out her lack of empathy and why she is self-absorbed in her quest. It would also be good to discuss how she resolves her relationships in the end.

Here's an audio snippet from the beginning of the book. The narrator, Karissa Vacker, created an authentic voice for the first-person protagonist. The secondary characters are also portrayed well through a variety of authentic voices.

And finally, a line early in the book which summarizes the sand-pit setting as well as Rosie's life, “If you don’t do something with all the grit in your life, things seem to jam up something awful."

A winner will receive a code from Tantor Audio and instructions on downloading the book. To enter, please leave me a comment with your email address if you are new to my blog by 6 PM on May 29.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the back it says, "When you lose your dog, there's a hole in your heart as big as the sun. Your head aches all the time and you are so empty inside because you are half the girl you used to be. " Half the person you used to be resonated deeply and so I wanted to read this book. It was not a sun-shiny kind of book, but it was raw and authentic.

"When you're afraid of something, *you're supposed to do it anyway.* That's how you get over being afraid." (pg. 171)

Rosie's emotions are represented via bold imagery throughout the story that makes it easily relatable. Who hasn't felt like coyotes were snarling in their head before?

"Hornets whirl"
"Coyotes snarl in my head."
"Grizzlies gnaw at the soft spot behind my eyes."

Or her fiery retorts like "God's bones" or "milk-livered weasel"

Even her trusty sidekick of a hand-me-down bike, Blackbird, becomes a character who can relate to. He gets tossed out and locked up, but keeps chugging along, like the plucky ole bike that it is.

The underlying message of how important it is to get to know someone before judging them with an enigmatic character like Swanson is a valuable one for readers of all ages to remember. Moreover just because someone says something DOES NOT make it true.

I appreciated how the relationship between Harry (her grandfather) and Rosie eventually unfolded into one where Rose really could trust that she was loved by him, even though it was definitely not the same as the beautiful bond she had with her Pa. Of course, the reunification with her Gloaty Gus made for happier ending than the death by milk truck that we were expecting.

Rosie is also a girl of action. She takes a stand and fights for what's right (at least what she thinks if right." She's a fighter and doesn't let fear stop her. It's an empowering read.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fusco, Kimberly Newton Chasing Augustus 326 pages . Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 2017. $16.99. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

Rosie has a hole in her heart as big as the sun. It’s been there since the day her mom gave her dog away. Her mom has been nothing but a disruption in her life since she left when Rosie was a baby. Her father has been her guiding light, but now that he’s had a stroke, it’s just her and Grandpa Harry. Though grumpy and irritable for getting stuck raising his grandchild, Rosie eventually begins to see the difference between her grandfather and her mother. With all the disappointment in her life, Rosie has one goal. She will stop at nothing until she finds the dog that filled her heart. Going on a tip that “crazy lady” Swanson has her dog, she sets out every day with a plan to steal back her dog.

Rosie is a spunky, hard-headed, independent, quirky 11-year-old that will stop at nothing to find her dog. Despite all that, it’s hard not to love her. In fact, all the characters are lovable despite their flaws due to the author’s superb writing. This is a fresh, new book that is sure to please the animal loving crowd, especially those who loved Shiloh and Because of Winn-Dixie. There are few books that I have a hard time putting down. This was one of them because the characters are so fully developed and interesting.

EL, MS – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for Chasing Augustus, which I received from the MA YA devices blog in exchange for an honest review.
_*_*_*_*_*
It's summertime, but Rosie is ornery and mad. Her dad had a stroke and is in a home and her mom moved back to California after giving away her dog. Now Rosie lives full time with her equally grumpy grandfather who is running her father's donut shop and attempting to care for Rosie. Rosie spends all her days on her bike looking for her dog, Augustus or Gloaty Gus. She forces her new friend Philippe, a foster kid from next door, to help her in her mission. Will she ever find her dog? And more importantly, will she ever find happiness?
_*_*_*_*_*
The language is incredibly descriptive in Chasing Augustus; you can hear and smell the scenes while reading. I love Rosie's insults, turns of phrase like "clay-brained boar-pig" or "loathsome toad" she and her dad came up with after reading about the middle ages. Readers will love seeing how characters grow and change throughout the book, not just Rosie, but also her grandfather, her friend Philippe and the town pariah, Swanson. Rosie's pain is visceral in parts; my heart hurt for her. This book is a wonderful read if you like to lose yourself in someone else's problems. It's always hard to read a book with an unpleasant main character. Once readers understand where Rosie is coming from, though, they will sympathize with her and forgive her vinegary personality.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her father has a stroke, Rosalita (Rosie) must move in with her grandfather, Harry. She misses the way things used to be, but what she really misses is her beloved dog, Augustus. She has no idea where Gus is since her mother gave him away when she visited from California in order to get things sorted out for Rosie. She doesn't even remember where the dog went. Harry has no clue how to handle a girl Rosie age, and he's not exactly what one would call nurturing, at least in the traditional sense of the word. With help from Philippe and Cynthia, two friends that seem more troublesome than helpful at times, Rosie rides her bike all around the area, determined to find Gus and bring him home. Along the way, Rosie loses herself but finds herself again as she and her allies come to realize that help can come from the most unlikely places, even from Swanson, the neighbor that everyone seems to avoid and demonize. There are many unresolved aspects to the story, including Rosie's avoidance of her father while he is hospitalized and how she deals with her mother, but many intermediate readers will be moved by this story of how several misfits find acceptance with one another. Rosie might be hard to like, but it's impossible to resist her loyalty to her dog and how, in many respects, she helps her grandfather figure out how to embrace life more fully.

[Kellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, and there were many moments when I related to the main character and surrounding characters. I think it captures a strong snapshot of how easy it is to dismiss other people in the pursuit of our own happiness, but I'm afraid that wasn't the intent of the book. There were many moments when I felt sad for the people around the main character simply becasue she could be so mean and dismissive of them and their feelings and hopes. She doesn't show much empathy or compassion throughout the book and I think that, as an adult reading it, it makes for a very good representation of how hard it is for younger people to hold onto those social kindnesses (like empathy and compassion) when they struggle enough figuring out how they feel on their own. My only worry is that, as a kid reading this book, they won't be able to see that message of her struggling through her feelings and they'll just see her being mean to those around her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book but wish that it had went in depth with her becoming kinder to those around her and growing to appreciate others struggles as well as her own. I feel like that could have been a great final conversation, but it never came.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The story is about a young girl (5th grader) named Rosie who has to go live with her "tough-as-nails, anchovy-eating grandfather." Her father has had a stroke--a father with whom she was very close--and her mother left when she was very young. The mother, who is now in California, has recently started calling to suggest that Rosalita (she refuses to call her Rosie) come to live with her in California. Rosie is not about to do that. She is especially angry at her mother because she came back from California briefly and gave her beloved dog, Augustus, away. Rosie's mission in life now is to find her precious "Gloaty Gus" and she faces many struggles along the way, including a rickety bicycle, an unexpected friend (who is also facing his own challenges, including being neglected by his mother which leads to him being placed in foster care), and a grouchy, stubborn grandfather. Rosie is a stubborn, grity, angry, and sad girl who is trying to figure out how to navigate life without her dad. There is also a bit of a sub-story where she is asked to write in a journal for the teacher whose class she hopes to be in next year.

[Haley Hopkins]

The main character Rosie is tough as nails. Her mother left her when she was a baby, and a year ago her father died, and so her mother gave her best friend so someone she didn't even know (her dog, Augustus). She had to live with her grandfather, Harry; who doesn't let her do anything. She learns to live with it after a few years but still goes out to find her dog every day. She made a plan for her summer where she would look for her dog every day. I think that this book was amazing but it gets frustrating how Harry won't let her look for her dog. She has a couple people that are willing to help her but her heart is set on finding her dog. Rosie says, "When you lose your dog, there's a hole in your heart as big as the sun. Your head aches all the time and you are so empty inside because you are half the girl you used to be." She hates her mother for letting go of Augustus and deep down, Harry hates her too. This book really got to me because my parents got rid of my dog a couple years ago so this is a very relatable book. This was not an easy journey for Rosie, but she learns to hold her own and find her way. This is one of my favorite books, and I all around loved it.

[La Livrophile]

Ayant aimé les deux autres romans de Kimberly Newton Fusco, j'ai été ravie de pouvoir lire «Chasing Augustus». Même si j'ai retrouvé des ingrédients que l'autrice utilise savamment, une chose m'a agacée. Les héroïnes de cette romancière ont un fort caractère, et ne s'en laissent pas conter. Si c'est le cas de Rosie, elle est également cruelle, injuste, et capricieuse. Au départ, je trouvais très bien qu'elle soit opiniâtre, et tienne absolument à retrouver Augustus qu'elle aime sincèrement. Cependant, son comportement envers Felipe m'a déçue. Elle le rudoie, lui fait la morale quant à la façon dont doit se comporter un ami alors qu'elle-même est inamicale, elle ne fait que l'utiliser, ne tient jamais compte de ses sentiments... Rosie se montre également peste envers Cynthia, mais je ne lui ai pas tenu rigueur de cela, car Cynthia est vraiment très pénible. En revanche, le pauvre Felipe ne méritait pas un tel traitement. Notre héroïne le comprend quelque peu lorsqu'elle est forcée d'assister à une déplaisante scène, mais elle ne se remet pas assez en question à ce sujet.
[...]
Lien vers ma chronique: https://www.lalivrophile.net/chasing-...

[Hannah]

Chasing Augustus by Kimberly Newton Fusco is very heartfelt novel about a teenage girl named Rosie. Rosie and her friend Philippe go on a long search for her dog Augustus, After her mother had given him away. Even after she got in trouble with her grandfather, she still never gives up her quest of finding her four legged friend. After a long search, she finally finds out where to locate Augustus. But the one person that has him, is the scariest woman in her town, Swanson. She sneaks around to find her dog, so she can save him. Finding her beloved Augustus is her mission. Along the way she discovers more about herself, her family, her friends, and Swanson. Throughout the story, Chasing Augustus, it is important to notice that people may be going through a lot more than you think. Most of the characters deal with some sort of struggle that may not be visible but definitely impacts them. Any readers that enjoy any dog novels about the touching bond between a dog and its owner, would love Chasing Augustus. It makes for a long and exciting adventure.

[Courtenay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this book. Honest. I love most dog books. But the unique expressions (hornets whirled; cougars scratching behind my eyes; God's bones; I need an ice cube; grit, sand, and more grit and sand, still more grit and sand, and even more; and the number of phone calls from the mother who couldn't get through her thick skull that her daughter wanted to be called Rosie, not Rosalita, and more grit and sand) constantly bumped me out of the story. I found myself hating the mother and liking Swanson, so there was some genuine emotion, but mostly the hyperbole that was this sad little friendless girl was just too much. And Philippe and his coat? Who cares? The snake hunt? What's with that? I liked the grandpa (Even though Rosie hated him) and the descriptions of the bike, but beyond that, I felt the muddy middle could have been greatly reduced with much greater effect and less annoyance and aggravation for the reader. Over the top. I think I need an ice cube myself, from beating myself over the head with this book. I got to page 281 and I just. Couldn't. Finish.

[Margaret Menkus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rosie has a tough life - her mom walked out when she was young, and her dad just had a stroke so now she is living with her ex-Marine grandfather who won't let her keep her dog. Life is tough. While Rosie can't fix a lot of things, she CAN try to find her dog who lives somewhere in the neighborhood.

This is a book about finding things . . . not just a dog, but a life worth living. I love that theme, but I struggled to read this book because I could not see Rosie growing from the experience. She just stayed mad, and mean, and I didn't really care about her. Only towards the end of the entire book did I finally FEEL something about her, and CARE that she discovered something.

So, this book was not my favorite. I like Fusco's other book, Beholding Bee, so much more because it had a sense of magical change in her characters. Much better . . .

[Liesl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it extremely difficult to empathize with the main character, Rosie. Her father had a stroke and her mom gave her dog away and now she lives with her grandfather who doesn't really understand how to care for her, all of which you would assume lends itself to empathy, or at least sympathy. And I understand that she is a child going through a hard time and she doesn't quite have a handle on her emotions. But Rosie so whiny and ill-tempered and just plain mean to everyone in the book, even when all they do is try to help her. Most of the characters, now that I think about it, have a short fuse -- flying off the handle at the smallest inconvenience or challenge. It was hard to get through the book, even though it does have a relatively happy ending.

[Pam Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book was beautifully written with an interesting setting - a dismal, gritty town. The characters are full of sadness and perhaps this story was just too sad for me. But I questioned how children will feel reading the book. There were characters I just disliked (Rosie's mother, her grandfather) and it seemed that Rosie really had no one in her corner. I almost abandoned the book at one point but wanted to discover if Rosie found her dog. I found the ending satisfying but maybe it ended a little too pat.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful tale about a feisty little girl who feels like she has been abandoned by everyone who matters. Her beloved dog was given away. Her mother took off for California and her father had a stroke and can no longer speak. Rosie lives with her crabby old grandfather and is on a crusade to find her missing dog. There's lots of hardship in this hardscrabble mining town where they live but Fusco fills this middle grade book with such humor and so many likeable characters that it had me laughing at their crazy antics. I loved this book.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

When your family unit is shaken to its core you enter a form of suspended reality. As a child when the only parent who has cared for you is suddenly removed from your life, it is particularly devastating. The only place you have ever called home now belongs to someone else.

To make an unbearable set of circumstances even worse, your beloved dog is gone. Chasing Augustus (Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, September 19, 2017) written by Kimberly Newton Fusco is the story of a girl weighed down by unbearable sadness but fueled with grim determination to find the other half of her soul. Nothing is going to stop her. Nothing.


My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Bari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I loved it. I highly recommend it.

Rosie is a wonderful character that you get attached to quickly. She's spunky, stubborn, doesn't have the easiest life and is currently living with her grumpy grandpa. Her mother gave away her beloved dog Augustus and Rosie is determined to find him and bring him home. Along the way she recruits some help and gets it some sticky situations.

No spoilers here, you have to read it for yourself.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone out there is going to enjoy this book. I lost it when the dog was given away. I lost two dogs like that and innumerable cats, too, growing up. People weren't very animal savvy back then; still hurts to remember those poor little souls. Haven't forgiven parents either. Parents and other adults didn't treat up kids, or each other very well either, as I recall. Must have been the day. I am glad to read in others reviews that her dog was found, but too painful and stressful for me.